


Too Late

by clintbartonswife



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Avengers Tower, F/M, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, Love Confessions, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-13
Updated: 2019-11-13
Packaged: 2021-01-30 02:50:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21420967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clintbartonswife/pseuds/clintbartonswife
Summary: When you bring Steve along to your wedding dress fitting, he discovers feelings for you that he didn't know he had.For once in his life, he allowed himself to be selfish
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Reader
Comments: 1
Kudos: 31





	1. Chapter 1

“Stop stressing (Y/N), you’ll be absolutely fine” Steve smiled, his hand resting on your lower back as you entered the wedding shop, “I thought you said this was supposed to be a fun, happy day”  
Both of you had been friends for years now after a chance meeting in the park. The two of you crashed into eachother and you hit it off right away. When you had first met Steve you admittedly had a big crush on him - you still think you do sometimes - but he never acted as more than a friend so you accepted it and eventually it dissipated. A few months ago you finally got over your crush and started dating again, eventually meeting Terrance through a mutual friend. The engagement came quickly, but you were sure this was what you wanted. Besides, you weren’t getting any younger.  
“I know! I know! It’s just - I didn’t think I’d be doing this so soon” You smiled, bouncing on the balls of you feet as you both stood at the entrance, a sales assistant walking towards us.  
“Me neither” Steve chuckled, his eyes darting over the dresses on the rack in awe.  
After a brief introduction from the woman, she was leading me over to the dresses you had picked out online, a bright smile blossoming on your face as you went to pick one up.  
“Oh my god it’s so beautiful!” You laughed happily, holding it up against your chest, “can I go try these on?”  
Receiving a nod from the assistant, you walked over to the changing rooms, Steve giving you a thumbs up as you passed.

“No” Steve said, a slight frown on his face, “that one doesn’t suit you”  
“That’s what I thought” you sighed, staring at your reflection dismally, “oh well, another four left to try”  
“I’m sure you’ll find something special” he nodded encouragingly, watching your back as you retreated into the changing rooms again.  
20 minutes later of failed dresses, you were stood in the last one, smiling at your reflection as you traced the lace pattern gently with the top of your fingers.  
“Come on out (Y/N)! I wanna see!” Steve whined.  
You giggled slightly as you walked out of the dressing room, clearing your throat to attract his attention.  
“Wow” he breathed, eyes going wide.  
“I know right?” You laughed, moving over to the mirror to get a closer look at the details, “it feels comfy too”  
Once you were out of earshot he let out a long sigh, slightly confused as to why his chest was feeling so fluttery.  
“I really like the design on this one, it’s pretty dont you think, Steve?”  
“Yeah -“ he coughed, his voice coming out unsteady, “Yeah it looks really nice - so good”  
“You okay there Stevie?” You asked, raising an eyebrow.  
“Me? Yeah! I’m fine!”  
Giving him another confused look, you turned to the assistant and asked to bring a veil so you could get the full effect. Happy to help, she was back in a minute with a trial veil which she was now pinning into your hair.  
Steve was, to his surprise, feeling jealous. It had taken him a few minutes to realise why his stomach had been flipped over and chest tightened, but now he knew it it was undeniable. He was jealous. Jealous of your fiancé.   
He had never disliked Terrance, in fact he was his biggest fan at the beginning, making sure to make him feel welcomed when introduced to your friends. But now? He felt like he could very well strangle him if it meant you wouldn’t walk down the aisle with him at the end of it. He wanted you for himself only. And that thought scared the shit out of him.  
Steve Rogers was going to be selfish. Extremely selfish,  
“I’m not completely sure - I might leave this one for a while - try other ones?”  
“Sounds like a plan” Steve smiled, “Hey - what do you say we go for a pizza before heading back?”  
He blinked slightly as you flashed him a smile, _how had he never noticed it was that dazzling before?_, and nodded excitedly before following the assistant back into the changing rooms.

“Y/N, I know I’m going to sound horrible but … are you sure you want this? You don’t think its too soon? I mean - you’ve only known him a few months - “  
You faltered, the hand bringing the pizza to your mouth freezing in the air as a frown settled on to your face.  
“Where’s this coming from? I thought you were happy for me?”  
“I’m just … worried - yeah worried - it’s all moving very fast and I feel like you maybe said yes because you feel like there’s no other options”  
“Now hold on a second-”  
“But there are other options doll, and I feel like you might not notice them”  
Steve trailed off, his hand moving to rest over yours, eyes shining with hope.  
“Wha- Steve?”  
“Just think it over - for me? I don’t think that’s asking for too much”  
Your mind seemed to turn to jelly as your stared at his hand covering yours, throat closing up as all of the feelings you had tried to ignore for years bubbled to the surface.  
“Steve - I - who do you mean?”  
“(Y/N), look at me” he murmured, cupping your chin with his hand and slowly lifting your head to face him, “tell me you don’t feel it too”  
“Why are you telling me this now Steve?” you asked, voice shaky, “You had years - why wait until I found someone else? Its not fair!”  
Steve sighed exasperatedly, slumping back in his chair as he ran his fingers through his hair.  
“I just - you were one of my first friends when I came out of the ice. I never had a chance to think about what I was feeling because they’ve always kept me so busy .. but seeing you in that dress today? It clicked. Everything I’ve been feeling makes sense”  
“What do you mean everything you’ve been feeling?”   
“You make me feel safe, (Y/N). I just thought it was a friendship thing but its not, as much as I love the rest of the crew I’m still on guard around them - still the Captain. But with you? I’m just Steve from Brooklyn. I don’t have to be someone I’m not - I don’t have to pretend to like certain sports or stay up until 2 in the morning reading about everything I’ve missed so I don’t get teased for it”  
He took a deep breath, looking up and meeting your eyes.  
“With you I don’t have to pretend to be okay. And honestly? I’m not okay with this. Im not okay with you marrying Terrance. I’m not. It will probably be one of the hardest things I have to watch, but if you - if you want him then I’ll have to learn to be okay with it, because in the end I just want you. I’ll take whatever I can get”  
“Steve-”  
“You always said I was the king of waiting too long” he chuckled mirthlessly.


	2. Chapter 2

“Hey Sam”  
He saluted you sarcastically as you sat down across from him, your coffee order waiting on the table.  
“I saw Terrance’s Instagram - what the hell happened?”  
You sighed, running your hand (which was now without your engagement ring) through your hair.  
“It’s a long story”  
“I got time”  
You just shook your head, not wanting to get into the details just yet, the argument still fresh in your mind.  
“Either way, you look like shit”  
“Wow - Thank you Sam. You always know how to make me feel better” you scoffed, taking a sip from your cup as you avoided his gaze.  
A hush fell over the two of you as he watched you warily.  
“Have you told Steve yet?”  
“What?” you spluttered, eyes flaring, “wh-”  
“It’s not like he hid it that well. He was in a mood after coming back from dress shopping with you the other day. Almost bit Nat’s head off when she mentioned the wedding” he shrugged, leaning back in his chair, “Plus, you’ve been in love and pining over him for years. Wasn’t that hard to piece together”  
A blush coated your cheeks as you frowned, crossing your arms.  
“I haven’t been _pining_”  
He just raised an eyebrow as he took a drink, his judgmental stare breaking through your hastily built façade.  
“okay - fine - maybe I pined a little bit, but I was fine until he unloaded a massive speech on to me! I was happy with Terrance, but it wasn’t fair for me to go through with the wedding when I still had feelings for Steve”  
That made Sam smirk, a smug smirk that made your insides crawl.  
“Why are you looking at me like that?”  
“Oh, no reason. Just that you admitted you broke up with Terrance for Steve”  
“No - I - Sam don’t twist my words like that!”  
He continued smirking, staring you down.  
“You know, there’s a BBQ at the tower this weekend” he said airily, “ Steve’ll be there. You should come”  
With that, he got up and walked out, sending you a little wink over his shoulder as he left.  
“Cheeky prick” you breathed, slumping back in your seat.

“Y/N! Glad you made it! How’s the single life treating you?” Tony grinned, bumping your hip with his.  
“About as well as it’s treating you” you snipped back sarcastically.  
“Ouch, you wound me. Your loverboy’s over by the grill by the way, I think he’s arguing with Nat about something - Hey! Rhodey!”  
Tony ran over to his friend leaving you standing alone at the entrance of the garden. Rolling your eyes, you approached the grill where Steve, Sam and Natasha were standing around and talking in hushed voices.  
“Who died?” you chirped, tilting you head to the side slightly with a smile.  
“You made it!” Sam grinned, pulling you into a hug, “We are all _so_ glad you’re here”  
You raised an eyebrow at him, your facial expression quickly dropping into a frown as you watched Sam wrap his hand around Nat’s wrist and guide her away, loudly claiming that they ‘_simply must say hello to Clint right now_’. A few awkward seconds passed before Steve cleared his throat, offering you a friendly smile.  
“So, how are you?”  
The pathetic attempt at small talk made you snort with laughter.  
“I’ve been better”  
Tilting his head questioningly, his eyes dropped to your bare finger, body freezing as he took in the absence of engagement ring. A grin bubbled up on his face before he could stop himself, schooling his expression back into one of neutrality as soon as he realised.  
“I mean, I’m sorry … for your loss?”  
“It was my decision”  
“Any reason for the sudden - uh - call off?”  
You bit back a laugh as he shuffled nervously on his feet, trying to look unbothered.  
“Y’know you should accept those spy lessons from Clint and Nat, you could use help on being less obvious” you grinned, smile only widening as he spluttered defensively, “and yes, it was partly to do with what you told me”  
“So?”  
You ignored his question, looking up at the sky inconspicuously.  
“y’know, I’ve literally been in love with you since you came out of the ice?”  
Steve choked on his beer (he drank it for the taste), looking at you with wide eyes.  
“But you never did anything so I tried to move on. Go figure you’d sort yourself after I find someone who wanted to marry me”  
“Did you-” he cleared his throat, lowering his voice slightly, “did you ever move on? Completely?”  
You shook your head bashfully.  
“Just couldn’t find it in myself to do it I guess”  
Steve nodded enthusiastically, tapping on his beer as he avoided eye contact, biting his lower lip. After a few seconds he cleared his throat, looking at you with a face full of hope.  
“I wasn’t too late?”  
The innocence in his voice made your heart squeeze in your chest, and you had to put effort into restraining the biggest grin from spreading across your face.  
“Late? Yes” you answered honestly, taking a step towards him, ”but too late? You? Never”  
You watched as the tension melted from Steve’s posture, placing the beer bottle on the table before he surged towards you, cupping your cheeks with his hands and bringing your lips towards his to meet in a passionate kiss. You smiled into it, your hands flying to hold his arms as your lips crashed together.  
In the background you could hear the distant cheers of your friends, along with a very clear ‘get it Cap!’ from Sam (followed by a smack which was probably from Natasha).  
You eventually pulled back, chest heaving as you tried to regain your breath. Steve was beaming in front of you, looking the happiest you had ever seen him as he pulled you in to a tight hug, resting his chin on the top of your head.  
“Thank you” he breathed, pressing a kiss to your hairline, “for giving me a chance”  
You puled back slightly so that he could see your face, before pressing another quick kiss to his lips, “Always”


End file.
